


Sunflowers

by ArchangelUnmei



Series: Six Points [1]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Gen, Yoga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-28
Updated: 2011-02-28
Packaged: 2017-10-16 00:31:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/166534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArchangelUnmei/pseuds/ArchangelUnmei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time Ivan meets Alfred, he mistakes him for his brother.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sunflowers

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place in the Six Points universe, but can easily be read on its own.

Ivan Braginski is used to having the gym to himself when he comes in in the early mornings, the weights all silent, the treadmills still, the peace pervasive. So he's surprised one morning to walk in and find the aerobics room in use. He thinks perhaps a new class has started and he simply missed the memo, but as he walks over and peers in the door, he sees there's only one young man in there.

He has his back to Ivan, standing barefoot on a pink mat with his socks flung next to a pair of tennis shoes, a gym bag and a sports bottle off to one side. He's dressed in sweats and a t-shirt, not unlike Ivan's own work out clothes. He has dusky, golden blond hair that just brushes the back of his neck, and Ivan frowns, wondering when Matthew Williams got a haircut.

His feet are braced wider than shoulder-width apart, and as Ivan watches he twists and bends, arms sweeping down and fingertips brushing the ground. He holds that pose for a long minute, and Ivan gets a lovely view of sweatpants molded to a rather fantastic ass. Then he rotates up the other way, bringing his arms up over his head again.

Ivan clears his throat self-consciously, shuffling his feet in the doorway. "Do you mind if I join you, Matthew?"

He turns, then, revealing wide blue eyes that are off-color from Matthew's dusky violet, and the style of glasses are different. Ivan is about to offer an apology when the other man blinks and grins. "Oh, no, Matt's my brother. Ha, I've never been mistaken for him before, that's kinda funny! My name's Alfred."

"Ah," Ivan blinks, slightly taken aback. The differences are obvious now that he's looking for them, Matthew isn't quite so tall, nor his shoulders quite so broad. And they certainly don't _act_ alike at all, he can tell that already. "I'm sorry..."

"Nah, it's cool," Alfred grins. "Come on in. What's your name?"

"Ivan."

"Ivan, Ivan," Alfred leans down to grab his water bottle, taking a long drink of something bright blue as Ivan comes in and sets his bag down. "Not sure if he's mentioned you or not."

"I manage his hockey team, and own the rink where they play," Ivan offers helpfully, and Alfred snaps his fingers.

"That's right! Nice to meet ya."

"You are Canadian like Matthew, then?" Ivan asks, since Alfred certainly doesn't sound _British_. Alfred shakes his head and laughs.  


"Oh heck no. Well, kinda. I have dual citizenship now, but I was born in America. Mattie and I are actually step-brothers. Kinda crazy, huh? We look so much alike but we're not actually related by blood. But that's cool, 'cause we've been brothers since we were like seven, so at this point there might as well be blood, y'know?"

"Da," Ivan agrees, head spinning a bit from how fast Alfred talks. He watches as Alfred bends again, arms swinging in a wide, surprisingly graceful circle. "What are you doing?" he asks, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Yoga," Alfred replies cheerfully, surprising Ivan. "Helps a ton with flexibility and balance, no one gives it enough credit."

"Do you come here often, then?" Ivan asks and is further surprised when Alfred nods enthusiastically.

"Yup, every morning. Usually later than this, but I've got a meeting for rugby today so I had to come in earlier."

"I see," Ivan watches in fascination as Alfred shifts into a position that looks like it should hurt quite a bit unless one is a contortionist. "Could you teach me?" he finds himself asking, and Alfred cranes his neck to squint at him thoughtfully.

"Sure, suppose I could, 's long as you're not a big baby about it. It hurts like hell at first when you're stretching everything out."

Ivan stares at him for a moment, but Alfred seems completely unaware of any innuendo he might have just made. "Ah, well, I've found that anything worth doing is painful to start." He repeats the proverb his old skating coach had seemed to live by.

Alfred blinks, then laughs and bounces to his feet again, his energy surprisingly infectious. He sticks out a hand, and Ivan finds himself smiling as he takes it. "Great to have you aboard!"

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I do practice yoga. The title comes from the fact that the exercise Alfred was doing as Ivan walked in actually is called 'Sunflowers'. Really good for stretching out the backs of your knees and ankles.


End file.
